Tradespeople and Homeworkers FAQ's

This page lists answers to questions frequently asked by brokers using RSA's Tradespeople and Homeworkers product.

Click on the headings below to go to the relevant section of the FAQ.

BUSINESS PREMISES

DEPTH

GAS FITTING WORK

HAZARDOUS WORK OUTSIDE APPETITE

HAZARDOUS WORK WITHIN APPETITE

HEIGHT

HOT WORK

MANDATORY COVERS

MULTIPLE TRADES

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

OPTIONAL COVERS AVAILABLE

OPTIONAL COVERS NOT AVAILABLE

PHASE 3 ELECTRICAL WORK

STATUS OF FIRM

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES

TOOLS COVER

TOOLS COVER AWAY FROM THE PREMISES

TREATMENT RISKS

 

Business Premises

The client operates from a business premises, are they eligible?
Our product is for those without a business premises who normally work at home or at other people’s property. Our Shops, Offices or Business Combined products may be better suited for your clients’ needs.

 

Depth

What is the maximum depth at which work can be undertaken?
Our product will allow work up three metres in depth.

 

Gas fitting work

The client carries out gas fitting work, are they eligible?
Our product does not impose additional restrictions on this activity but all contracts and activities must be otherwise acceptable to RSA.

 

Hazardous work outside appetite

What sort of activities are excluded?
Our product will exclude the following, unless otherwise agreed:

  • Demolition (unless it forms part of a contract undertaken for rebuilding, alteration maintenance or repair)
  • Any work in or on airports, aircraft, watercraft, collieries, mines, gas, petrochemical and chemical works, railways, railway installations, power stations, oil refineries, fuel depots, quarries, offshore rigs or platforms
  • Any work on bridges, viaducts, subways, chimney shafts, blast furnaces, steeples, tunnels, docks, piers or wharves, motorways or dams
  • Piling, underpinning, the use of explosives or work in or on or adjacent to rivers, lakes and tidal waters
  • Transport or use of any hazardous substances such as gases, Asbestos, radioactive substances, or toxic chemicals

 

Hazardous work within appetite

What sort of activities can be insured?
Our product is designed for low to medium risk construction contracts, those doing non-manual or light manual work from home or professional services based from home. Hazardous activities will be excluded as well as specific additional restrictions for certain trades that are otherwise eligible. Our product is NOT designed for clubs, those operating primarily in the manufacturing, wholesale/retail, care or education sectors.

 

Height

What is the maximum height at which work can be undertaken?
Our product will allow work up 15 metres. Note that this relates to the distance that is reliant upon ladders, cranes or similar from the ground, or from hoists, cables or similar suspended from the structure itself and also note that both policy and Employers' Liability eligibility may mean that certain trades with particular work at height concerns may not be acceptable.

 

Hot work

The client carries out hot work away from their own premises, are they eligible?
Our product can provide a quotation for some forms of hot work away from clients' premises, provided that the Heat Application Requirements are adhered to and the Limit of Indemnity requested for Public Liability cover does not exceed £2,000,000.

 

Mandatory covers

Are there mandatory covers?
Yes. We will only provide a quotation if the request includes Public Liability cover. Legal expenses cover is also included as standard.

 

Multiple trades

The client carries out more than one trade, are they eligible?
Yes, our product can provide cover for up to seven trades, depending on the software house that is used. Each of those seven trades needs to be acceptable to RSA and you’ll just need to select which of them is the main trade.

 

Number of employees

How many people can be insured?
This depends on your software house and which version of our product that you are using but in general, firms with a maximum of up to eight persons can be covered.
Whilst the number of workers against each employee group needs to be included in the quote request, not all of these form part of that maximum number. For example, because bona fide sub contractors are subject to separate limits per policy based on the overall number of other workers, they are not included in this limit also.

 

Optional covers available

What optional covers are available?
The following covers are available:

  • Employers' Liability of £10,000,000, provided that the activities of the employees are acceptable to RSA
  • Contract Works up to a Maximum Contract Price of £500,000, provided that the activities are deemed by RSA to be in the construction sector and the trade activities are acceptable
  • Hired In Plant up to £50,000 maximum limit per item, provided that the activities are deemed by RSA to be in the construction sector and the trade activities are acceptable
  • Own Plant up to £50,000 maximum limit per item and in total, provided that the activities are deemed by RSA to be in the construction sector and the trade activities are acceptable
  • Tools up to £5,000 maximum limit, provided that the trade activities are acceptable
  • Business stock up to £5,000 for homeworkers storing materials at their own premises
  • Business equipment up to £10,000 for homeworkers' items not insured under Tools
  • Personal accident for permanent staff for employment-related accidents up to £35,000 for death and capital benefits, £500 per week for temporary total disablement and £200 per week for temporary partial disablement

 

Optional covers not available

What optional covers are not available?
The following covers are not available and will be removed from any quote request so that a quote can be considered for the remaining available covers:

  • Business Interruption
  • Business Travel
  • Professional Indemnity

 

Phase 3 electrical work

The client carries out Phase 3 electrical work, are they eligible?
Our product does not impose additional restrictions on this activity but all contracts and activities must be otherwise acceptable to RSA.

 

Status of firm

Can limited companies be insured?
Yes but only up to the maximum number of employees.

 

Temporary employees

The client uses temporary employees, are they eligible?
Yes, our product will allow the use of persons temporarily employed, provided that the total number of days engaged does not exceed 50 days during any one Period of Insurance.

 

Tools cover

What cover is available for Tools?
Our product can include Tools and Equipment cover on an All Risks basis with the following limitations:

  • No cover to labour only sub contractors or bona fide sub contractors even if they are noted on the policy. 
  • Not available for all trades.
  • Theft must be forcible and violent entry unless in a locked vehicle, trailer or room.
  • Theft from an unattended vehicle overnight is excluded as standard but available as an extension if included in the quote request

 

Tools cover away from premises

The client takes equipment away from their premises on business, such as laptops, mobile phones and digital cameras, are they covered?
Our product is on an All Risks basis and cover applies equally at their own premises as well as temporarily away. This would apply both to builders tools, such as drills and other power tools as well as laptops, mobile phones and digital cameras. The following limitations apply:

  • No cover to labour only sub contractors or bona fide sub contractors even if they are noted on the policy. 
  • Not available for all trades.
  • Theft must be forcible and violent entry unless in a locked vehicle, trailer or room.
  • Theft from an unattended vehicle overnight is excluded as standard but available as an extension if included in the quote request

 

Treatment risks

The client carries out treatments for hair and beauty, are they eligible?
Yes, our product will cover most treatments, provided that they are not invasive or medical and are carried out either by qualified staff or under the supervision of qualified staff.